LANSING — Ogemaw County Michigan State University Extension Director Fred Hinkley told the Ogemaw County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 22 that Governor Jennifer Granholm is considering vetoing the MSUE line item on the Higher Education bill, which is responsible for funding colleges and universities within the state and is one of the six bills originally withheld from Granholm.

According to Hinkley, a well-substantiated rumor says both programs under Michigan State University — MSUE and Michigan Agriculture Experiment — will be eliminated.

“If the veto goes through, we’ll have to stop all of our programs,” Hinkley said. He added there would be no budget past the date in which she uses the veto.

“It would cause a lot of chaos,” he added.

He said 4-H would have no choice but to cease due to liability insurance purposes that wouldn’t be covered if there were no state budget for the program.

Hinkley did said though he believes there is a movement in-place to push for a two-thirds majority override in the house and senate if there is a veto.

Among the MSUE is also the county’s Economic Development Cooperation, which EDC Director Kathy Adair said has operated as a cooperative since it began over 20 years ago.

“There’s a memorandum for the county to fund the position, the director, and the benefits are paid by MSUE,” Adair said. She added the county kicks in about $20,000 for the overall budget.

“As with any MSU program, the EDC would stop too (if the budget is vetoed),” Adair added.

In all, he said there are eight employees who work in the MSUE office in West Branch, including six program staff members and two clerical staff members.

“I honestly don’t know (if the county could fund any part of the program),” he said. “I guess it’ll depend on what remnants are left of the state budget.

Among the more familiar, Adair said, are the 4-H, which serves hundreds of youth, Master Gardener, EDC, food and nutrition, breastfeeding counselor and agricultural programs.

“It’ll be a great disservice to the community if they do cut (MSUE),” she said. “We’re waiting to see.”